TVR Tamora
Even by todays standards, Shakespeares Titus Andronicus is a pretty racy read. Rape, mutilation, murder its all there in the sort of grotesque detail that would make James Ellroy wince. Tamora, the Queen of the Goths, even ends up unwittingly eating her own sons whod been baked into a pie. Whilst TVR cant guarantee shortcrust cannibalism, their Tamora promises to serve up some seriously hardcore fare of its own.
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Taking up the reins from the modern classic that was the TVR Griffith is a big ask, and the Tamora had better be good to fill those particular boots. It starts at an apparent disadvantage, its Speed Six engine already two cylinders down on the Griffiths thunderous V8, but anybody whos heard a Speed Six used in anger wont worry unduly. The engine is a work of art, a bafflingly magnificent achievement from a company that fifteen years ago wasnt a great deal more technically advanced than an organisation down the road making plastic sand pits.
"This conservative TVR is about as friendly and approachable as an African despots bodyguard corps"
That Speed Six engine, designed completely in house, is no thud and blunder anachronism either. Its an all-alloy unit with four valves per cylinder and a fully mapped engine management system with some genuinely sophisticated engineering built into the manifolds and catalysts. Power assisted steering could be construed as evidence of TVR going soft in its old age, but customers find their TVRs marginally less uncontrollable with a bit of help from a subservient servo, so there it is. In order to warn you when conditions are decidedly Tamora-unfriendly, the car is fitted with an ice detector which, if other TVRs are anything to go by, should immobilise the car for the drivers safety, but in this instance merely blinks up a warning light.
The Tamoras mohair hood flips down to expose a typically inventive TVR cabin to the elements. An analogue speedo and rev counter vie for the drivers attention with a multifunction digital display with winking shift lights and whilst it doesnt rival the Tuscan in terms of sheer design exuberance, it still looks the part. Broad swathes of leather and the trademark TVR metallic pastille controls are very much in evidence as well as a steering wheel with a conspicuous lack of dirigible protection. The starkly elegant pedal set is probably the most noteworthy piece of styling, and alongside the cosmetics theres also function.
The Tamora features central locking, electric windows, an electrically operated boot release, electrically adjustable door mirrors and an electric alarm system with engine immobiliser which may well raise a shudder from those with a passing knowledge of past TVRs electrical reliability. Thats living in the past, however. Unless it proves otherwise, were prepared to give the Tamora the benefit of the doubt. You also get a removable face stereo and tinted glass, although luxury touches arent what the Tamora is all about.
The folding roof is neatly simple, echoing the design weve become used to in the Griffith and the Chimaera. Theres a one-piece removable roof panel which stores neatly in the boot, and a folding rear header rail. Nothing flashy, but it goes up and down easily, although do think twice before you wheel out the pressure washer. Most TVRs are about as waterproof as the General Belgrano.
The companys engineering bent is evident in the attention paid to the oily bits. All round independent suspension comprising double wishbones and coil over dampers are assisted by chunky anti roll bars to give what promises to be a very firm ride. Likewise the brakes dont leave much to the imagination, with 304mm ventilated front discs with four pot callipers, whilst the rear brakes are only slightly less beefy at 282mm. Drive naturally goes to the rear wheels, the only form of traction control being the weight of your right foot.
The exterior stylings bound to cause the most controversy, however, lacking the soap-bar slipperiness of the Tuscan or the priapic thrust of the Griffith. Instead the Tamora is a chunkier effort with a bluff rear and a stubby front that looks barely capable of swallowing the straight six 3.6-litre engine. The way the front wings crescent into the doors remains, a clever legacy of the days when TVRs panel fit was somewhere beyond catastrophic, but which has become a signature design touch.
The vertical stacking of front and rear lights is another distinctively TVR flourish, although they do nothing in this instance to reduce the foreshortened attitude of the Tamora. The TVR 350C takes the Tamora platform and adds a hard top and even more way out styling. Whether the Tamora is enough car to tempt people away from the far more voluptuous Tuscan model is open to question. Whats not up for debate is that TVR will have another fire breather on its books that will appeal to a different set of customers.
As the Blackpool company eyes the US market enviously, the Tamora could be their passport to serious dollar wealth. We cant help but feel that perhaps TVR boss Peter Wheeler may have taken his eye off the ball there, however. After a good rummage around the Tamora we couldnt find evidence of one cup holder. Well drink to their success but probably pass on the pie.
Facts At A Glance
CAR: TVR Tamora
PRICE: £36,500 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 20
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 175mph / 0-60mph 4.6s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (average) 18mpg
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height tba
